The Code

Release

Korra awoke to a sharp rap at the metal door. Groaning, she rolled face down into the thin cotton mattress.

"Go away," she drawled.

"Avatar," grumped a harsh female voice. "You got five seconds to get up and take your breakfast or I'm leavin' you without."

Korra growled and lunged to her feet, stumbling to the door. She pressed her face up against the narrow three-barred window. A short Equalist stood there, hip cocked and tapping an impatient foot, holding a tray of food. Korra's stomach growled to see a slab of cooked meat, some fried rice and some greens beside a large flask of water.

"Delicacies for our honored guest," the Equalist growled, pulling a hidden lever and opening a narrow slot in the door. She slid the tray through the opening, and Korra caught it before it could hit the ground. The opening slammed shut, and the woman turned with a self-satisfied "hmph", marching back down the hallway.

Korra brought the food back to her cot and sat, breathing a silent prayer of thanks to the spirits for blessing her with an edible meal this time. Perhaps Amon had had a change of heart, though she seriously doubted it would go much farther than a more appetizing meal plan.

She bit into the meat, and almost groaned in pleasure as the tangy juices ran down over her tongue. She inhaled the food in a few seconds, quickly downing the water flask in a few deep gulps. Then she sat back and sighed, comfortable for the first time in days. Thumping her head back against the wall, she let her eyes trail up to the window. A wispy white cloud scudded by on the blue sky outside. She slid to her feet and moved over to it, slipping her hands around the bars. The window was just above eye height, so she had to rise up onto her toes. She pressed her face against the cool metal bars.

It wasn't much of a view. She could see the back of a building, coated in sunlight. It looked like a seldom traveled alleyway, scattered with gravel and dust. If she strained her ears, she thought she could hear the distant horn of a satomobile. There couldn't be much foot traffic by here, else the Equalists wouldn't have risked a ground-level cell with a window.

She stood there for a moment, until the door squealed open, making her jump. Something soft slapped her in the face, followed swiftly by something smaller, which she caught. She looked down. A towel, and a bar of soap.

"You get seven minutes allotted for shower," snapped an impatient voice. "Any longer and I'm coming in, whether you're ready or not."

Korra stumbled to her feet, tucking the towel under on arm. She followed the Equalist out the door and into the hallway. They passed rows upon rows of cells. Korra heard a few groans behind the barred doors, pitiful enough to make her wince. She quickened her pace to match the Equalist's. Her eyes trailed the walls, memorizing every dip and crack, searching for any weakness. A hard hand jerked her arm, shoving her along.

"Knock it off or I'll blindfold you next time."

Korra swallowed. She kept her head forward, still scanning the hallway with her eyes, and followed him down a flight of stairs. With a rough wrench of her arm, the man shoved her into a side room, slamming and locking the door behind her.

"Remember, seven minutes." He gave a dark laugh. "Or I get to come in after you, don't matter if you're decent."

Korra glared at the locked door. Then she turned around. The room was smaller than her cell. A single showerhead hung staked to the wall. There was no bathtub, only a crude drain in the middle of the floor. Korra wondered if there'd be enough water for her to bend in an attack at her captor. But the thought of a shower sounded too good to pass up. Wash first, kick butt later, she reasoned.